Abstract
The role of serum serine peptidase inhibitor, Kazal type 4 (SPINK4), in colorectal cancer (CRC) is largely unknown. This study aimed to explore the association and diagnostic value of serum SPINK4 in CRC. A total of 70 preoperative CRC patients, 30 postoperative CRC patients, 30 gastric cancer patients, and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, we found that the serum SPINK4 level was significantly increased in preoperative CRC compared with postoperative CRC patients, gastric cancer patients, and healthy controls (p < 0.05). The serum SPINK4 level was remarkably elevated in colon cancer compared with rectal cancer and was enhanced in the M1 stage compared with the M0 stage (p < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of serum SPINK4 level in the diagnosis of CRC was 0.9186, with a sensitivity and specificity of 0.886 and 0.900, respectively, and a cut-off value of 2.065. There was no significant difference between high and low expression of serum SPINK4 regarding the overall survival time and disease-free survival (p > 0.05). This study demonstrated that the serum SPINK4 level increased in CRC and was associated with the location and distant metastasis of CRC. It had a high diagnostic value in CRC but was not associated with the survival of CRC patients.
Highlights
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a serious public health problem worldwide, being the third most common gastrointestinal cancer (Siegel et al, 2017), and the incidence of CRC is still increasing in China (Chen et al, 2016)
Serum was collected from 70 preoperative CRC patients, 30 postoperative CRC patients, 30 gastric cancer patients, and 30 healthy controls
The serum SPINK4 level was highest in preoperative CRC patients compared with postoperative CRC patients, gastric cancer patients, and healthy controls (p < 0.05)
Summary
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a serious public health problem worldwide, being the third most common gastrointestinal cancer (Siegel et al, 2017), and the incidence of CRC is still increasing in China (Chen et al, 2016). China had 245,000 new CRC cases and 139,000 deaths from CRC in 2012, which made it the fifth most common cancer in men and the fourth in women (Gu et al, 2018). Many CRC patients are initially diagnosed at advanced stages, since early-stage CRC is either asymptomatic or presents with non-specific symptoms (Clarke & Feuerstein, 2018; Hall et al, 2016). Association and diagnostic value of serum SPINK4 in colorectal cancer.
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